Match Report: Team Sunderland Women’s 1sts 0-3 Newcastle Women’s 1sts

Despite the best efforts of Team Sunderland Women, their season ended in defeat as Newcastle Women were ruthless in spoiling the party.

Newcastle spurned multiple chances in the opening seven minutes as Maddie Blundell’s efforts from the edge of the box went just wide.

Sunderland’s first chance to take the lead was from a free-kick in the 10th minute after Cynthia Asogwa was fouled inside the Newcastle half by Abbey Howarth. Anna Murphy crossed the ball to the back stick, but it evaded everyone and went out of play.

Another chance then went begging for Newcastle as Kaleigh Roberts cut inside Megan Wheeler on the left side in the 11th minute, but her shot hit the post and went away from the Sunderland goal.

This sparked Newcastle into life as Blundell timed her run to perfection in the 13th minute, as she got in behind the Sunderland defence before firing across Jess Kelly in goal to make it 0-1.

This was the wake-up call Sunderland needed as they won a corner in the 19th minute after Newcastle defender Alice Hughes blocked Lily Clifton’s shot for a corner. Murphy took the corner, but once again, the ball evaded everyone and went out for a goal kick.

The chances then kept falling to Sunderland as in the 20th minute, Victoria Curtis took a shot from outside the Newcastle box, but it didn’t test Newcastle’s goalkeeper Brooke Wilkie, as her effort landed on the roof of the net.

Another chance then went the way of Sunderland in the 24th minute after Curtis was fouled by Hughes just outside the Newcastle box. Up stepped set-piece specialist Murphy, but her effort went just over the crossbar.

In the 27th minute, Newcastle midfielder Marcie Heckingbottom got in behind the Sunderland backline, but her shot lacked power to test Kelly, who gathered the ball with ease.

Newcastle looked likely to then double their lead just before half-time as Blundell got in behind the Sunderland defence in the 40th minute despite looking offside, but the refereed allowed the game to continue, with the chance coming to nothing as she fired wide.

Newcastle doubled their advantage after the break as in the 52nd minute, Maddocks ran at the Sunderland defence who failed to close her down, allowed her to rifle her effort home from inside the box that made it 0-2.

Another chance went begging again for Newcastle in the 54th minute as Blundell rounded Sunderland goalkeeper Kelly, but she could only fire her effort wide.

However, Blundell would take her next chance to score her second goal of the game for Newcastle in the 62nd minute. She sprung the offside trap to get in behind the Sunderland defence and with only Kelly to beat in goal, she side footed her effort into the bottom right corner to make it 0-3.

Newcastle won a corner in the 68th minute after Blundell’s shot was deflected behind by Sunderland defender, Mel Dobson. The resulting corner saw a goalmouth scramble in the box, but Sunderland eventually cleared.

Newcastle forced another corner in the 76th minute after Roberts shot took a deflection off Katie Barker. Maddocks took the corner, which was headed just over the crossbar by Howarth.

Sunderland pushed for a late consolation goal in the 79th minute as Katie Smith tried her luck from 25-yards, but her effort went inches past the post.

Chances were few and between in the last 10 minutes of the match, as Newcastle done the double over Sunderland and earned themselves bragging rights.